title: Estimating occupational exposure to carcinogens in Quebec.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We estimated the extent of exposure to occupational carcinogens in Quebec, Canada, to help raise awareness of occupational cancers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Proportions of workers exposed to 21 recognized and 17 probable carcinogens (according to Quebec occupational health regulation and the International Agency for Research on Cancer [IARC] classification) were extracted from various sources: workplace monitoring data, research projects, a population survey, radiation protection data, exposure estimates from the Carcinogen Exposure Canada (CAREX Canada) Project database, and published exposure data. These proportions were applied to Quebec labor force data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 38 studied, carcinogens with the largest proportions of exposed workers were solar radiation (6.6% of workers), night shift work/rotating shift work including nights (6.0%), diesel exhaust fumes (4.4%), wood dust (2.9%) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (2.0%). More than 15 carcinogens were identified in several industrial sectors, and up to 100,000 young workers are employed in these sectors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although crude, estimates obtained with different data sources allow identification of research and intervention priorities for cancer in Quebec.
authors.affiliation: Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST), Montréal, Québec, Canada. france.labreche@irsst.qc.ca
authors.forename: France
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Labrèche
authors.forename: Patrice
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Duguay
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ostiguy
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boucher
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Roberge
authors.forename: Cheryl E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Demers
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000032:analysis; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016272:Occupational Health; D011792:Quebec; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens
keywords: cancer prevention; exposure assessment; intervention priorities; occupational carcinogens